Urges young doctors to prioritise compassion, commitment and patient-centric care over financial gains
Srinagar, Dec 13 : Director PGIMER Chandigarh, Prof. Vivek Lal, on Saturday delivered a deeply inspiring address at the 20th Post Graduate Research Presentation (PGRP) and the valedictory ceremony of the 43rd Annual Festival Week of the Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) at SKICC Srinagar, urging young doctors to place compassion and commitment above all else in their medical careers.
Addressing postgraduate students and faculty, Prof. Lal said true happiness in the medical profession does not come from money but from compassion towards patients. He reminded young doctors that financial success would eventually follow, but urged them never to forget a patient’s pain, stressing that a patient’s blessings are the greatest testimony to a doctor’s life and work.
Speaking on the growing discourse around professional burnout, he said genuine empathy for patients leaves no room for exhaustion. “If you truly feel the pain of a patient, this profession will never tire you. But if there is no compassion for patients, then this profession is not for you,” he remarked, adding that medicine belongs to those whose hearts “beat and bleed” for their patients.
Drawing attention to the connection between academics and research, Prof. Lal described patients as the “golden thread” linking the two. He stressed that meaningful research must always be patient-centric, stating that good research is “for the patients, by the patients, and with the patients,” and cautioned against research disconnected from real clinical care.
He also underlined the moral responsibility of Indian doctors, noting that medical education in government institutions is highly subsidized compared to Western countries. Prof. Lal said doctors educated at low cost have a duty to give back to society many times over and must remain grateful for the opportunities provided by the public system.
Calling Indian doctors fortunate, he said that while doctors abroad may earn more, Indian doctors experience greater fulfillment, peace of mind and happiness due to the blessings of patients. “A patient’s prayer becomes our biggest reward and gives us sound sleep at the end of the day,” he stated.
Addressing students as the future torchbearers of medicine in India, Prof. Lal advised them to remember that commitment comes before equipment and that patients should never be treated as mere numbers. He concluded by appreciating the support extended to SKIMS by the administration and urged special care for the institute, describing it as a premier center whose students contribute significantly at the national level.
The address received a warm response from the audience and set a reflective and motivating tone for the academic gathering.
